cana," from which Torqueinada learned the Mexican language (Mexico, 1555); "Vocabulario Mexicano," of which the original manuscript is in the College of San Gregorio, in Tlalnepantla ; "Arte y Vocabulario de la lengua Huaxteea," of which the manuscript is in the convent of Ozoluama; "Arte y Vocabulario de la lengua Totonaca"; Arte y Vocabulario de la lengua Tepehuana"; "Platicas de las Senoras Mexicanas con sus hijas," translated by Francisco Clavigero; and several treatises on the capital sins, sacraments, and sacrileges, in the Mexican language, the manuscripts of which were preserved in the library of Tlaltelolco, in Mexico. According to Leon Pinelo, he also wrote a treatise on Mexican antiquities.
OLMSTEAD, James Munson, clergyman, b. in Stillwater, N. Y., 17 Feb., 1794; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 16 Oct., 1870. He was graduated at Union
college in 1819, and studied until 1822 at Princeton theological seminary. During the following three years he was an itinerant missionary in New York,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia, but in June, 1825, he was ordained and installed over the Presbyterian churches of Landisburg and Centre, Pa., where he
remained until 1834. He then had charge of Middle Tuscarora church. Pa., until 1837, when he became pastor of the Flemington, N. Y., Presbyterian
church. Failing health in 1849 led to his resignation and removal to Snow Hill, Md., where he preached until 1854. He then settled in Philadelphia, living in retirement until his death. Besides minor publications and contributions to current literature, he was the author of "Thoughts and
Counsels for the Impenitent" (New York, 1846); "Our First Mother " (1852) ; and " Noah and his Times " (Boston, 1853).
OLMSTEAD, John Wesley, clergyman, b. in Saratoga county, N. Y., 13 Nov., 1816 ; d. in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass., 31 Aug., 1891. Hedidnot
receive a regular classical training, but the honorary degree of A. M. was conferred on him by Yale in 1854, and that of D. D. by Rochester university in 1863. After serving for several years as pastor of Baptist churches in Little Falls, N. Y., and Chelsea, Mass., he became, in 1846, editor of the "Christian Reflector" in Boston. On the union of this paper with "The Watchman," in 1848, he took editorial control of the consolidated journals, and continued in that post until 1877. In 1878 he established "The Watchtower," a Baptist journal in New York, but subsequently returned to "The Watchman," of which he was editor-in-chief.
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OLMSTED, Denison, physicist, b. in East Hartford, Conn., 18 June, 1791; d. in New Haven, Conn., 13 May, 1859. He was graduated at Yale in 1813, and was at once given charge of the Union school in New London. In 1815 he returned to Yale as tutor, and began the study of theology, with a view to the ministry, but in 1817 he was called to the chair of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology in the University of North Carolina. Here he proposed and executed the first state geological survey that was ever attempted in the United States, publishing reports of his work in 1824 and 1825. Although the state authorized the execution of the survey, Prof. Olmsted received no compensation for his services. He was appointed in 1825 professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in Yale, which chair he retained until 1836, when it was divided at his request, and the department of mathematics assigned to Anthony D. Stanley. In addition to the duties of his professorship, he devoted much time to the study of the various branches of physical science. He published an elaborate theory of hail-stones in 1830, which caused much discussion, but finally received the general approbation of meteorologists. The shower of shooting-stars that fell in November, 1833, attracted his attention, and he studied their history and behavior until he was able satisfactorily to demonstrate their cosmical origin. Prof. Olmsted, and his associate, Elias Loomis (q. v.), were in 1835 the first American investigators to observe the Halley comet. For several years he carried on a series of observations of the aurora borealis, the results of which were published in the “Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge” (vol. viii., Washington, 1850). Prof. Olmsted possessed considerable mechanical talent, which he used in promoting and perfecting the inventions of others, but while he himself frequently invented articles of convenience and comfort, such as the Olmsted stove, he seldom secured his rights by patents. He was a member of scientific societies, and his more technical papers may be found in their transactions. Prof. Olmsted likewise was a large contributor to the reviews and to other periodical literature, especially in the direction of biography. He published “Life and Writings of Ebenezer Porter Mason” (New York, 1842). He was also the author of text-books, of which the entire number of copies that were sold exceeded 200,000. They include “Student's Commonplace Book” (New Haven, 1828); “Introduction to Natural Philosophy” (2 vols., New York, 1831); “Compendium of Natural Philosophy” (1832); “Introduction to Astronomy” (1839); “Compendium of Astronomy” (1841); “Letters on Astronomy, addressed to a Lady” (1841); and “Rudiments of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy” (Cincinnati, 1844). — His son, Francis Allyn, physician, b. in Chapel Hill, N. C., 14 July, 1819; d. in New Haven, Conn., 19 July, 1844, was graduated at Yale in 1839. He made a sea voyage to the Sandwich islands for his health, and on his return was graduated at the medical department of Yale in 1844. He published “Incidents of a Whaling Voyage” (New York, 1841). — Another son, Alexander Fisher, chemist, b. in Chapel Hill, N. C., 20 Dec., 1822; d. in New Haven, Conn., 5 May, 1853, was graduated at Yale in 1844, and was called to fill the chair of chemistry in the University of North Carolina. He contributed scientific papers to the “Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,” of which society he was a member, and published “Elements of Chemistry” (New Haven, 1851).
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OLMSTED, Frederick Law, landscape-architect, b. in Hartford, Conn., 26 April, 1822. He followed courses of special study in engineering and agriculture at Yale during 1845-'6, and then became a laborer on a farm in central New York, in order to acquire a practical knowledge of the details of agriculture. Subsequently he conducted a farm of his own on Staten island, and contributed articles to periodicals on rural subjects. His attention being directed to the art of landscape-gardening and architecture, he made a pedestrian tour through Great Britain and parts of con-
